Motorcyclist dies in crash near Mill Plain

A rush-hour crash killed a motorcyclist just south of the busy intersection of Mill Plain Boulevard and Southeast 136th Avenue on Monday afternoon.

The accident was reported at 4:24 p.m., said Kevin Stromberg, a spokesman for the Vancouver Fire Department. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Vancouver Police Department’s traffic unit is investigating, but here is what apparently happened, according to Stromberg: The motorcyclist, described as a young male, was southbound on 136th just south of Mill Plain on a lime-green Kawasaki Ninja. Observers said the driver of a white Buick SUV was turning left into the rear entrance of Columbia Square shopping center when the motorcycle collided with the right side of the SUV.

The Buick’s driver, a woman, was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, Stromberg said.

The accident snarled traffic. Southeast 136th Avenue between Mill Plain and Seventh Street was closed until 10 p.m. while the investigation continued.